Dr. John (Jack) Webb Spencer passed away April 6, 2023; he was 98 years old. Dr. Spencer was born July 7, 1924, in Elizabethtown, Kentucky to John William and Mildred Jayne (Woosley) Spencer. He grew up in Elizabethtown where he attended Elizabethtown High School, played football and quarterbacked the team his senior year. He also played guitar and was a vocalist for the Tiny Skaggs Orchestra.

Following graduation, in May 1942 he and seven of his classmates traveled to Oakland, California where they contribued to the war effort as a shipwright helping in the critical shipbuilding industry. The following spring he returned to Kentucky and took the entrance exam for Aviation cadet training in the US Army Air Corps.

He was accepted and began his training in July 1943. Following Basic Training in Lincoln, Nebraska, he was posted to Oklahoma Baptist University in Shawnee, as an aviation student for five months. Following classification at San Antonio, he trained as an aerial Navigator and graduated on October 2, 1944, at Ellington Field, Texas with his Navigator Wings and the rank of Flight Officer. His training continued at Rapid City, North Dakota Air Force Base as part of the B-17 crew with which he later deployed to Thorpe-Abbotts Air Base, England. As a member of the 351 ^st Squadron, 100 ^th Bomb Group, his crew flew missions over Germany. His B-17 was shot down on March 18, 1945, on its 14 ^th mission, and after bailing out of the fatally crippled aircraft, Jack was a POW for the remainder of the war. He was rescued from a German prisoner camp when WWII ended in May 1945.

After the war, Jack took advantage of the GI Bill and graduated from Lincoln Chiropractic College in Indianapolis in 1949. He followed this with post-graduate work at Los Angeles Chiropractic College.

He moved to Lawton, Oklahoma in 1952 and opened his practice. He was only the fourth chiropractor in Lawton. Jack immediately launched into an amazing career of service and leadership in the community including the Lawton Jaycees, Optimist Club, Elks Lodge, American Legion, Ft. Sill Bowling Association, the Military Order of the World Wars, and Liberty Heights Christian Church. Over the years he garnered numerous service club honors, awards, and recognition. He was most proud of being chosen as Lawton Jaycee's "Most Outstanding Young Man" in 1959.

Concurrently, Jack continued his military career, first in the Air Force Reserve and then in the Oklahoma Air National Guard from 1963 to 1977. In the Air Guard, he rose to the rank of Colonel and flew missions that spanned 48 countries in almost every cargo aircraft that was in the Air Force inventory. He amassed a total of 6,200 flying hours in his military career. This included earning the Vietnam Service Medal with 5 battle stars. Upon retirement, he was granted a separation promotion to brigadier general.

After 65 years of practice, Jack retired in 2015 on his 94 ^th birthday but continued to serve the Lawton community through his work with Lawton Rotary, Military Order of the World Wars, and Liberty Heights Christian Church.

Jack had a genuine love of life and adventure and was very proud of his daughters. He will be remembered for his countless stories, strong convictions, and love for his God, country, family, and friends. A special thank you to all of his church and "choir practice" friends, as well as those from McMahon Tomlinson Nursing & Rehabilitation Center and the team of medical professionals with Comanche County Memorial Hospice.

Jack is survived by three daughters, Patti Colley and husband Tom of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Sherry Faust and husband David of The Colony, Texas, Vickie Cloud and husband Jon of Lawton, Oklahoma, five grandchildren, Heather Donaho of Skiatook, Oklahoma, Micah Garza and husband Gregory of Lawton, Oklahoma, Tiffany Hargett of The Colony, Texas, Jace Cloud and wife Hannah of Dallas, Texas, Jeremy Faust and wife Stacy of McKinney, Texas, nine great-grandchildren, and three nephews, Ty Craig of Elizabethtown, Kentucky, Charles Grooms of Lawton and Randall Grooms of Edmond, Oklahoma. Great-grandchildren include Caleb, Jacob, Caitlin, Alex, Dylan, Landry, Chloe, Clara, Judah and Abigail.

He is predeceased in death by the love of his life, wife Beverly Jo Spencer, his parents, his sisters Peggy Lou Spencer and Norma Jean Craig, daughter Robyn Smith and her husband Mike Smith and their son -his grandson Jimmy Smith.

Visitation will be on April 13, 2023 at Becker-Rabon Funeral Home, 1502 NW Fort Sill Boulevard, Lawton from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. The family will be receiving guests from 6 p.m to 8  p.m.

Services will be held Friday, April 14, 2023 at 12:00 p.m. at Liberty Heights Christian Church, 1802 NW Elm, Lawton, with Pastor Jace Cloud, his grandson of Dallas, Texas, and the Rev. Charles Pettigrew, Pastor of Liberty Heights Christian Church, Lawton officiating.

Interment with military honors will take place following the service at Fort Sill National Cemetery, in Elgin, Oklahoma.

Memorial contributions may be made to Liberty Heights Christian Church.